Five Big Ten women's teams and three individual runners head to the NCAA Championships on Monday.

Nov. 18, 2011

Big Ten cross country sends a strong contingent to the 2011 NCAA Championships as five men's teams and five women's teams travel to Terre Haute, Ind., on Monday searching for a national title. Along with the conference teams competing in the event, five men's and three women's runners travel individually to the meet.

The men's race is set to begin the action at approximately 12:08 p.m. ET, while the women's race will start at approximately 12:58 p.m. at the LaVerne Gibson Championship Course. The championships can be seen live on www.ncaa.com.

Top-ranked Wisconsin leads the group of Big Ten men's teams at the championships after winning its 10th straight Great Lakes Regional title last weekend. Wisconsin, along with No. 7 Indiana, earned automatic berths to the championships, while No. 17 Michigan, No. 19 Minnesota and No. 30 Ohio State received at-large bids. Illinois' Jordan Hebert and Jim Riddle, Iowa's Jeff Thode and Penn State's Kyle Dawson and Vince McNally will compete in the championships individually.

Great Lakes Regional Champion Michigan and Big Ten Champion Michigan State enter the women's championships after clinching automatic berths at the regional championships. Joining the 10th-ranked Wolverines and the 15th-ranked Spartans at the meet are No. 21 Penn State, No. 25 Wisconsin and No. 28 Minnesota. Indiana's Samantha Ginther and Ohio State's Tori Brink and Nichole Hilton are set to travel to the event individually.

Big Ten teams have reeled in 12 men's team national championships and two women's team titles. Ten Big Ten men's runners and seven women's runners have earned individual national championships.